Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, November 19
Philadelphia, Penn.
All Day
Northwestern
vs
Keystone Classic
Wildcats Set for Prestigious Keystone Classic
11/18/2017 9:33:00 PM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. — After picking up two wins against Gardner-Webb and Old Dominion on Sunday to kick off its dual season, Northwestern wrestling will head to Philadelphia this weekend to compete in the Keystone Classic.
Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, the Keystone Classic is an all-day event that takes place on Sunday at the historic Palestra. The tournament features twelve teams and a total of 20 ranked wrestlers, including three from Northwestern.
Highlighting the slate of teams competing is No. 1 Penn State, who took the team title at the Keystone Classic last year to kick off their season which ultimately concluded with an NCAA championship. The Nittany Lions enter Sunday's tournament as the favorites once again, with four wrestlers ranked No. 1 at their weight and 10 grapplers ranked inside the Top-8.
After finishing seventh in the Keystone Classic last season, Northwestern enters this year's tournament with plenty of promise.
Redshirt-first year Sebastian Rivera headlines the field at 125 pounds. Ranked No. 18 in the country, Rivera started the dual season 2-0 with wins against Gardner-Webb and Old Dominion while outscoring his opponents by a combined total of 20-5.
Down at 149, redshirt-first year Ryan Deakin will compete in a loaded weight class. Deakin is ranked No. 10 in the nation and started 2-0 in the dual season while also making an appearance in the championship bout at the Michigan State Open. However, Deakin will face some difficult competition as the field also features Penn State's Zain Retherford. Ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds, Retherford is a two-time NCAA champion who won the Hodge Trophy in 2017 as the nation's top wrestler and has won 65 consecutive matches over the past three seasons.
After earning second place in the 184 lb. weight class at the tournament last season, fifth-year senior Mitch Sliga returns to the field looking to replicate his success from last year. Sliga has started the dual season 2-0 and took fourth place at the Michigan State Open to start the season.
The heavyweight class features a trio of Top-10 wrestlers, including junior Conan Jennings who is ranked No. 10 in the nation. Jennings won a pair of matches at the Keystone Classic last season and started off this season by taking fourth place at the Michigan State Open, beating his first two opponents by a combined score of 23-1. Also wrestling with Jennings in the heavyweight class will be 2017 NCAA All-Americans Nick Nevills from Penn State and Jacob Kasper from Duke.
Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, the Keystone Classic is an all-day event that takes place on Sunday at the historic Palestra. The tournament features twelve teams and a total of 20 ranked wrestlers, including three from Northwestern.
Highlighting the slate of teams competing is No. 1 Penn State, who took the team title at the Keystone Classic last year to kick off their season which ultimately concluded with an NCAA championship. The Nittany Lions enter Sunday's tournament as the favorites once again, with four wrestlers ranked No. 1 at their weight and 10 grapplers ranked inside the Top-8.
After finishing seventh in the Keystone Classic last season, Northwestern enters this year's tournament with plenty of promise.
Redshirt-first year Sebastian Rivera headlines the field at 125 pounds. Ranked No. 18 in the country, Rivera started the dual season 2-0 with wins against Gardner-Webb and Old Dominion while outscoring his opponents by a combined total of 20-5.
Down at 149, redshirt-first year Ryan Deakin will compete in a loaded weight class. Deakin is ranked No. 10 in the nation and started 2-0 in the dual season while also making an appearance in the championship bout at the Michigan State Open. However, Deakin will face some difficult competition as the field also features Penn State's Zain Retherford. Ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds, Retherford is a two-time NCAA champion who won the Hodge Trophy in 2017 as the nation's top wrestler and has won 65 consecutive matches over the past three seasons.
After earning second place in the 184 lb. weight class at the tournament last season, fifth-year senior Mitch Sliga returns to the field looking to replicate his success from last year. Sliga has started the dual season 2-0 and took fourth place at the Michigan State Open to start the season.
The heavyweight class features a trio of Top-10 wrestlers, including junior Conan Jennings who is ranked No. 10 in the nation. Jennings won a pair of matches at the Keystone Classic last season and started off this season by taking fourth place at the Michigan State Open, beating his first two opponents by a combined score of 23-1. Also wrestling with Jennings in the heavyweight class will be 2017 NCAA All-Americans Nick Nevills from Penn State and Jacob Kasper from Duke.
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